Thursday, January 6, 2011

LE BINE VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE RIPASSO 2008 AT VIA ALLORO

The Drago family operates a number of fine Italian restaurants in Los Angeles - so many it's difficult to get around to all of them. Via Alloro in Beverly Hills had been on my list for some time, and a Saturday afternoon "park-and-dine" experience afforded me the perfect opportunity to have lunch there.

"Park-and-dine" is a method Denise and I resort to occasionally that helps us deal with the frustration of trying to find a parking space near a restaurant where we'd like to dine. Due to the fact that so many Los Angeles parking meters are taken over by valets these days - and we don't do the valet thing - we will simply find a place to park, then look for a restaurant near the parking space. As backward as that is, we have actually found many good restaurants through the "park-and-dine" method.

We parked in Beverly Hills on the way to another restaurant, and passed Via Alloro on the way there. I suggested we cut the walk short and find a table.

Via Alloro is a Tanino Drago establishment. Good Italian food - as expected - comes simple and rustic, just the way we like it. I ordered the Le Bine Valpolicella Ripasso by Giuseppe Campagnola on recommendation of our server, and I liked it.

Dark in color with a lighter purple ring at the edge, the wine shows dark leathery cherry and raspberry aromas, while the taste is full bodied and mellow. Soft tannins make it a great sip and nice acidity make a good choice for food. It went very well with my risotto with sausage and broccoli despite the "greenness" of the dish. The wine is $12 by the glass.